Government Work by Day. Vegan Cookies by Midnight

Henry Perillo thinks about Italian swear words while swimming.

⁠Did you swim in college? (If not, how did you get started?)
I didn’t swim in college. I started in elementary school (I think 2nd or 3rd grade) and have been in a love-hate relationship with it ever since.

Why love-hate?
Because swimming always felt (feels?) like more of a chore than a passion. It feels like something I have to do more than something I want to do.

How long have you been swimming with ARMS?
In 2023, I moved to Virginia from North Carolina. I’d been swimming in Durham, so I immediately wanted to find a Masters team in Arlington. Since January 2023.

How often do you swim?
2–3 days a week.

Favorite practice day?
Tuesday, because I love breaststroke. Or Thursday, because I like short sets.

What other forms of exercise do you enjoy?
I like biking, walking, running, soccer, water polo, tennis, and pickleball.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Weston, Florida, about a half hour away from the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale.

Where do you live?
Proud resident of Virginia Square.

What do you do for work?
I try to keep my head down, so I’ll say I work in environmental compliance and sustainability for the U.S. government.

Describe your pre-practice routine.
I try not to fall asleep.

How about post-practice?
I buy a dank, $7, vegan cookie from Midnight Treats in Ballston, then watch my bank account go dowwwnnnn.

On a scale of one to 10, how hard do you typically work in practice?
7.5?

Tugging on the lane line: Every now and then, or never?
When I’m not doing backstroke? Never! When I’m doing backstroke? Occasionally.

Do you swim the full 500 for warm-up, or do you follow the crowd?
I follow the crowd.

How do you decide which lane to swim in?
Will tells me.

Do you stop after the last set, or do you warm down?
If it’s an Allison practice, I don’t even have time to finish the last set, let alone warm down. If it’s a Will practice, I’ll swim 2–4 laps.

Long course, or short course? Why?
When I’m doing long course, I prefer short course; when I’m doing short course, I prefer long course.

Favorite drill? Why?
Two-pulls, one-kick breaststroke. It’s a good core workout and it helps me make sure I’m undulating.

Least-favorite drill? Why?
Anything with backstroke, because I stink.

Favorite practice of the week?
I liked this past Thursday’s practice!

Favorite pro swimmer?
Lia Thomas, because she pissed off all the right people.

What’s your biggest weakness in freestyle?
Not breathing between the flags and the wall — I can’t get my vagus nerve to realize I won’t run out of breath!

What’s your one big (swimming) goal for 2026?
To survive.

Any upcoming meets?
Not at the moment.

Which goggles do you wear?
TYR’s Tracer-X RZR, with a bungee cord.

Which paddles do you use?
I don’t know the brand, but they don’t have tubing.

If you have a significant other, do they swim?
Not really. Unless she falls out of her kayak!

You’re going faster than the person in front of you. What do you do?
Wonder if I’m dreaming.

What do you love most about swimming?
Knowing that I can continue to do it as I age.

What do you think about while in the water?
Integral calculus. Just kidding. Usually Star Wars, food, or cursing in Italian.

She Moved Across the Atlantic. Then Masters Swimming Helped Her Feel at Home

Chocolate milk, zero love for breaststroke, and an open-water race in Norway: Get to know former cold-case investigator Ainsley Cotter.

How did you discover Masters?
I discovered Masters and ARMS last year, as I was preparing to move back to the States from London. I was looking to “heal” my relationship with swim, and for a way to be active and socialize. It’s been a great discovery and has made the transatlantic transition less lonely.

How long have you been swimming with ARMS?
Almost 10 months.

How often do you swim?
Usually four times a week.

What other forms of exercise do you enjoy?
Walking my dog Elton! Also, skateboarding and yoga.

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico — aka the Breaking Bad city.

Where do you live, and how long does it take you to get to pool?
I live in the Lyon Park neighborhood in Arlington, which is only seven minutes away from Long Bridge.

What do you do for work?
I work in tech as an implementation consultant. Previously, I was a cold-case investigator for unidentified-remains cases.

Do you have any pre-practice or post-practice rituals?
I don’t have a super exciting pre-practice ritual other than finishing work and doing various chores (boring!). My post-practice ritual is drinking chocolate milk, showering, then going to bed. After Sunday-morning practice, I usually go to brunch with my husband.

Do you eat dinner before or after practice?
Before.

On a scale of one to 10, how hard do you typically work in practice?
I always try to work hard in the pool, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes phone it in. I’d say I’m a steady seven.

Tugging on the lane line: When necessary, or never?
I try not to pull on the lane line — aside from warming up and cooling down — although the temptation exists!

Do you swim the full 500 for warm-up, or do you stop when everyone else does?
If I’m being honest, I don’t count; I just swim until 8:38 PM or so. But I try to finish after those who got in before I did.

Long course, or short course? Why?
In the past, I’ve been a short-course stan, but recently I’ve been vibing with long course, which helps me build endurance.

Favorite drill? Why?
My favorite drill is fingertip drag for freestyle. I think it makes my stroke nice, long, and intentional.

Least-favorite drill? Why?
Anything related to breaststroke.

What’s your one big (swimming) goal for 2026?
My big swim goal for 2026 is to continue to build endurance for some open-water races in Norway and Sweden next spring.

Which goggles do you wear?
Speedo Vanquishers — tried and true.

Which paddles do you use?
I use Arena paddles. Which I need to depend on less.

⁠If you have a significant other, do they swim?
He’s a long-distance runner and soccer player.

You’re going faster than the person in front of you. What do you do?
Touch their feet and politely ask to go in front.

What do you love most about swimming?
I love that swimming pushes me and mentally and physically. And I love that I don’t have to run if I swim.

Did you swim in college? (If not, how did you get started?)
I swam in college briefly, before giving it up for travel. But I’ve been swimming on a club team since I was around six.

What do you think about while in the water?
While in the water, I’m usually crunching numbers in to make sure I have the intervals correct. A 35-second interval is my mathematical enemy.

Jonathan Rick, a freelance ghostwriter, is a lifelong swimmer who’s written for SwimSwam, attended Olympic Trials, and already booked tickets for LA28.